Gear-shifting mechanism.



E. 0. WALSER, GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM, APP LlCATION, man 1123 27, 1914.

1,138,914. Patentd May 11, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- E. 0. WALSER.

GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED 5127, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Patented May 11, 1911 Usrrsn a ass r irnnrorsicn EUGENE owezcsan, orLos ANcsLEs, camromvm.

v Specification of Letters Patent.

osausnrsrme MECHANISM.

finalisation filed Ecbmai'yfii, 191s. serial No. 821,569,

To (ZZZ whomz't may concern Be it, l'cnown that I, EUGENE WALSER, a citizen of Switzerlsnd, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los'Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Gear-Shifting Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to systems of power transmission in which any one of several gear ratios are used between the prime mover and the load and 111 which it s de-- sirable to quickly change the gears and tlmschange the ratio. The selective sli i--' ing gear mechanism employed in automobiles is a common form of mechanisniwhich is in use for this purpose.

The principal object of the invention is ,to provide such a transmission.mechanism locked with th'eclutch and operated by, the same lever hich actuates the clutch. in

mechanism ofthis character, the simultaneous engagement of two different sets of gears, each set having a different ratio,

will result in the shipping of the teeth orv otherwise injuring'one set offihese gears.

A ijurthcr object of myim-ention is to provide means for always throwing each and every set of gears into'thc disengagedcr neutral position preliminary to the. throwing of any one set into engagement.

A further object, of my invention is to provide meanswhercby the operatorfif he .ihc same center.

desiresito do so, may positively throw all,,.

the gears into the disengaged, position without the subsequent engagement of any gear. In the standard form'of selective sliding gear transmission mechanism' a hand lever is 'provided working in an -l'l shaped slot, and an emergency bra'lieilever is commonly placed adjacent thereto and turning about A, further object of my invention is to provide means whereby an emergency brake I I Patented May 11, 19315.

lever can be dispensed withgihe control of the emergency brake being accomplished liy means incorporated inthe gear shifting liurthcr objects and advantages will zip-- pear hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only: Figure 1 is a plan View of the mechanism embodying my invention as it would be applied to an automob1le,'no.t shown, certain of the connected as of the automobile being shown partly in section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, parts of the automobile being indicatcd'by dotted lines.

ai right angles to, each other and shown nearly in section, these figures being particularly designed to illustrate the rock- .ing levers and the cooperaiing parts. Fig.

5 is a perspective view of the operating mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. ll 6 is a lan of selector segment.

' n these rawings, 10 is the floor of an automobile, 11 being the side frames zhereoi';

Channels 12 and 13 are connected to the frames 11 for the purpose of supporting the mechanism embodying my invention;

14 is a gear box of standard design having a cransmission shaft 15, a. countershaft lfi anda differential shaft 17 Mounted rigidly on the counter-shaft '16 are gears 18, 19, 20

and 21. Mounted rigidly on the 'transmis; SIOD- shaft 15 is a gear 22 permanently in ,lfig's. 3 and 4 are enlarged elevations taken mesh with 'the'gear 21 and thus driving the" countershaft ifi whenever the transmission shaft 15 is actuated. A jaw clutch 23 is formed on the gear 22- A sliding gear 24. has a similar clutch 25 formed thereon and slides on the shaft ll which is square. A similar sliding car 26 also slides on the square portion 0 an shaft 17, The gear 2 L is of suitable diaisneter to mesliwith the car 20 when thrown n one directioh." When the gear 24 is thrownin lheobher direction the clutches 23;a-nd, 25 'Iock togetherund the shaft 15 drives the shaftfl? direct; The gear 26 engages the gearll whenthrown inbne direction and-,engagcs-"a' reversing pinion,

not shown, driven from the gear,;1 8 when thrown in the other direction." The gears 24 and sc -m shifted by means-mi arms 27' carried on'rods 28 29. 'The rods 28 and 29 are usuallyactuated by means of :ihand lever-moving in the H-shaped slot beside the 'drivers seat, and an emergency brake handle is also provided adjacent thereto. When 7 the rods 28 and 2 9 are 'in the 'ce1iter posi- 't'ion, themain tirely disconnected from 29in either direction throws in one or the other of the gears which, beingof different diameter, change the ratio of transmission The of speed between the shafts l and 17.

articular gear box shown is designed for three forward speeds and onereverse. T e

shaft 271 and an inner keyed to the main transmission shaft 7 secured on said shaft is a lever shaft 15 is connected and an engine shaft 271 by this clutch consisting of 281 heyedto the member 291. slidaoly 15, the member's 2-81 and 291 being normally held inengageinent. by means of a spring surrounding the shaft 15 and pressing against a collar 31 secured there-on. A clutch shaft 32 is provided mounted on a bearing 33 secured on the frame of the car, and rigidly 34: which extends downwardly and engages the inner member 291 in such a manner that as the clutch shaft 32 is rotated the members. 281 and 291 aredisengaged. The clutcl' shaft 32 has rigidly keyed thereon a pedallever 35 which carries at its upper end a pedal 36. It is common practice to provide automobiles with a steering column 37 which carries a steeringwheel at its upper end, this steerin wheel being emitted from the drawing for the sake of clearness. The usualforms of gasolene and spark controlling mechanism are mounted inside this steering wheel,

main transmission disconnected from means of a clutch, an outer member these also being omitted for, the sake of corresponding to the v brake, low,

ositions',jand' a selector segment index 421s mounted at its lower end 7 tened to the tube 20, and a selector lever olearness.

are standard extends is so located vided with a slot The parts in form, and are such as are commonly found on automobiles. It is obvious that other common formsof gearing might be used or that the gearing might be applied to other forros of'rnachinery thanthe automobile illustrated.

In the form of my 1nve selector segment 39 a stationary tube 40 which provided mounted on.

steering column 37. Thisseginent a'plu 'rality of small holes 41.. near its outer edgel reverse, lnterinediate, neutral emergency and high rigidly fastened to a selector shaft which downwardly beside and the tube 40. The index carries a small pin nearits outer cnd, which that it automatically springs into the holes 41. when the index is turned to the proper position. The shaft 43 is in a bearing i l esand' is prois rigidly secured to the shaft A segl6 at itscuter end.

engine.

' other ends of the bell cranks fidanid h lllinyei 1 above referred to and described being supporte tion 1llustrated, a

smmlmds the between rocking arms .t

Aneniergen'cy hr-alre pawl '58 mounted in? 52, and is held in engagement parallel to 4:2 is flexible, and.

pedal. is sulliciently or is also pivoted mental rod &7 extends upwardly through and is engaged. in the slot 4&6, the segmental rod 47 being rigidly secured to a selector rod 4%. The selector rod 48 slides easily in hearings on the outer end of two selector frame levers 49 These levers are pivoted upon pins 50 carried in bearings 51 which extend upwardly from a supporting plate 52 which extends under and supports the mechanism and which cured to and supported by the channels 12 and 13. The selector franielevers &9 are rigidly connected together by means of a fixed .rod' 53.

tor rod 48 is a selector linger casting which carries a. selector roller 55 mounted on a suitable pin in its outer end and which extends outwardly and 'slidably engages the,

is itself rigidly seto normally hold the their connected lligidly fastened to the seleceach provided with a pair of projectm rocking lever arms 60, 81, rockinglever rods 64 and the upper end of the levers rocking bell cranks 66 and 6? pivoted "upon secured to the supporting plated} The 62 and 63; an

58 and 59.

65 arepivote a lever rods extend over and engage hearings 5 pivotal.lysecured to them gear sli iftwod's 68 and 69, these rods extending redrwrlgllgf and being pivoted to the rods 28 'an previously referred to. An emergency hr rod 70 connects tothe emergency shown andis ivoted at 71 to an emergency brake ratchet 42 which extends forward and is pivoted at 73 to an emergenc brake lever 74 which. is. pivoted on a shaft 751,Ithisshaft fin suitable hearings 75 formed on the Isuppcrting plate emergeneyfhralre arm 77 extends f bearings) formed on the supp'drtingjplate with the emer o 8 brake mot This reset'roller 86 restsupon a slide 8! and presses against a projec- An v rdly net cl;

weenie w x V b tion: 88 formed upon the slide. Cains 89 are provided on either side of the slide 87 and the roller 86 is made of sufiicient Width so that it may be disengaged from the pro -jection 88 by means of the cams 89 as it moves in the direction of the arrow shown in F 1g. 3. The slide 87 extends forwardly and is provided with a. promotion 90 on its forward end, this projection 90 extending upwardly between bearings 91 in which a reset lever 92 is mounted on a pin 93, the reset lever having" a downwardly projecting arm 94 which is engaged by the projection 90 on the slide 87 as the slide moves forward. The reset lever 92 is also provided with a reei-werdly extending arm 95 which carries a reset bar 96. The reset bar 96' extends outwardly over the rocking lever arms 60, 61, 62 and 63. Y v

The method of operation of m invention can best be made plain by censi ering it as applied to an automobile and by describing the operations in the sequences in. which they occur in starting and operating the automobile. The automobile would commonly be started with all the gears in the gear box it out ofengagement and with the clutch members 1281 and 291 in engagement, the

Y pedal 36 being in its upper position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The engine being started, engi-zie shaft 1 is rotated, rotating the main transmission shaft 15 through the clutch members 28 end 29. When it is desired w throw the transmission mechanism into the reverse position, the selector index 42 is moved to the hole 41 which is merited lector frame levers 49 into a. position where the selector roller is directly; over-the rocking lever arm 60, which cor nds to the reverse speed. In other words,gthe oper etor sets the selective mechenls'm in the proper position for throwing in the gear, de-

sired. The actual throwing of the gear is accomplished bymeans of the pedal lever 35. 1

The proportion of the parts is such that the early part of the motion of thep'edul lever simply diseugages the members 281 and 291,

thus releasing the clutch. As the pedal lever is further depressed in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2, thereset roller 86 strikes upon the pro ection 88 of the slide 87 and. moves it forward, causing the projection 90 to strike upon the arm 94:, thus throwing the reset bar 96 downwardly and contacting with all. the'rocking lever arms 60, 61, 62 and 63 which project outwardly thereunder. A pedal lever 35 results in forcing-the i'ese't bar 96 into such a. position that the rocking lever arms are in the same plane, thus throwing the rods 28 and 29 to their central A furthermovement of the position, with all the gears disengaged.

gears in the gear box 14. A further movement of the pedal lever 35 results in the reset roller 86 being lifted-by the cams 89 end freed from its engagement with the projection 88 that 3. further movement of the pedal lever 35 does not further actuate the slide 87. Immediately thereafter the projec tion 82 of the pedal lever strikes against the'lixed rod 53 of the selectorfreme, fore ing this rod downwardly; the listed rod 53, the selector frame levers l9 and the selector rodv 48 all being forced downwardly by a further movement of the pedal, the selector roller 55 being directly over the rocking levcr arm 62 corresponding to the first A. further movement of the pedal lever 35 which is connected to the rod The move mentof the rod 28 is such that the gear. 26 is thrown into mesh with ereverse gear, not

shown, but which isin mesh with the 18.- The pedal 36 then being released, the selector erms 49 are lifted by the'spring 56, leaving. the gear 26 in mesh.- A further release of the pedal 36' causes an engagement ill of. the clutch and the engine is then. connect t ed to the shaft 17 through the gear box it and the clutch members 281 end 291.

The: operator can then move the selector lever to engage any of the holes 4E1 without dis-- turbing the gear 26. He can [also release the clutch without changing. this gear provided he pushes the pedal 36 only for enough to re lease the clutch. YVhen however he pushesr ee the pedal'ilfi to its extreme position he first 'disengages the gear 2,6 and then throws in the geurindiceted by the position of the se lector arm 42. Should he desire to set his emergency brekehe moves the selector earn 43h) the position it, thus throwing the roller 55 over the emergency brake arm 7?. Whei'i the pedal. 36 is depressed the roller 55 strikes upon this emergency brake arm 7'? and pushes it down. This acts, through the shaft 75, and the lever 74% on the emergency brake ratchet fl'l, pulling it in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1., and apply/mg the emergency lire through the rod Y0. When the brake is applied the spring holds the pawl 7 8 in engagement with the ret'chetTZ which nizty herekased by striking the foot against the level 81.

It is obvious that my invention might be u 'jpl-ied to other arrangements of gig-oer bones then'thut illustruted end describe and that any arrangement of ports providing veri' able ratio means might be substituted the gearing shown. For example, the goers 25 end :26 might turn freely on the shaft 17- able clutches Or belts and pulleys or other to. lat-ion; a selector adapted to befthrovvn into on either shaft to and. he pcrxnanently' in mesh-land that they" might he connected to the shaft 17 by sultrsnitaile friction dcvicesnnght be used connect the counter, shaft 16 and the difierentisl shaft 1?,suitable clutches being used rovlde the variable teatnre. All such modifications are Within the spirit of my invention. constituting the variable ratio, means of the claims.

There is a particular utility in the combination of the emergent brake mechanism with the gear shifting mechanism. proper, and the result of this combination is a" new result not attained by theseporate actuation of these parts, as in the standard-types of construction now in use. To understand this new result, it. is necessary to consider the emergencies which arise in driving an automobile and the conditions to be met in tlioso emergencies. The. nergency brake iscoinrnonly used to provide "an extremely" quick stop under conditions of danger.

skilfnl driver in handling his automobile in emergencies with my invention will throw the automobile into the high or intermedlate gel-1. upon which he habit lly operates, and will then throw the selector arm to the omen gency brake position. lit will thenbe possible for him to remain in high gear aslong he likes, and it will be possible for him to release his clutch by pushing down upon the clutch pedal a sufficient amount to release the clutch, out nolg to, operate the reset.

Should a sudden emergency arise, however,

he can by a single motion release his clutch and set his emergency brake. In other words, with the car running in high or interncecliategear, d with the selector arm set to the, emergency brake position, the oporator cani. time of sudden emergency ah- 'jsolutely' stop his car without letting go/of the steeringwlieel with his hands andhy a single motion with his foot. As these emergencics arise very suddenly the elimination motions is or": great importance, and i ird this feature of invention as j rroort Who-cl claim is 'l, A'Wariahlo ratio gearing comprising a driving sha ft, a driven shaft, several. dilicrent ratio means contracting Shafts, suitable mechanisms for throwing each of said ratio means nto operative relat on, re-

set means for throwing all of said ratio;

means out of operative relation, a selector adapted to be thrown into engagement with any of said mechanisms, a means engaging and actuating said. reset means and selector.

.2. A. variable ratio gearing comprising a driving shalt, a driven shaft, a clutch con-- necting one of the shafts to an external driving means, several ditlerent ratio means for connecting the shafts, suitable mechanisms essors -into operative relation,

operating for throwing each of" said ratio means into operative relation, reset means for throwing all or said. ratio means out of. operative} reengagcment with arty of said mechanisms, and operating means connected to said clntch'and actuating said reset means and selector.

A variable ratio gearing comprising .a

driving shaft, a driven SllEKl llfi, a clutch cinnetting one of the shafts to an extei driving means, several different ratio means ior connecting tl'ie st alts, suitable mcchanisms fort erativc relation, a selector adapted to be thrown into engagement with cny of said mechanisms, and a lever permanentlyconnectedto said-clutch and engaging and ac tuating said resetmeans" and selector.

- 4;. A variable ratio gearing comprising a crowing each of said ratio means. into ()PBYK-UVG. relation, reset means for throwmg all of said ratio means out of op drivingshaft, a driven shaft, a clutch con nee-ting one" of the shafts to an external driving means, several difi'erent ratio means for connecting the shafts, suitable mocha reset means for throwing all of said ratio means out of operative relation, selector adapted to be thrown into-engagement with any of sai mechanisms, a lover permanently connected to said clutch, means connected to said lever for actuating said reset, insane, and means connected to said lever tor actuating said selector.

nisms for throwing each of said ratio means 5. A variable ratio gearing comprising a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a clutch 0011- necting one of the shafts to an external driving means, several different ratio means for connecting the shafts, suitable mechanisms for throwing each of said ratio means into operative relation, reset means for throwing all of said ratio means out of oper-l ati've relation, a selector adapted to be thro into} engagement with any of said is} a lever permanently connected to said clutch and having a gaging said selector, flrleSGl; linl: pivoted to said clutch, and a slide actuated by said reset link to actuate said reset means.

- 6. A variable ratio gearing comprising a 0] ection en- I roe plurality of driving gears, a clntch, actuat--- ing means for said clutch,mechanisms for actuating each oi said drivnig gears, a selcctor for engaging each oi said mechavlector for engaging each of mechanisms, 7 l a reset means for releasing all of said dr1vnisms, areset means for releasing all of said drlvlng gears, and; means connected to sand means for actuating said clutch for min-- atmg sa1d seleetor' and. reset means when the clutch is released.

- 8, A variable speed gearing comprising a plurality ofv driving'gears, a clutch, oper-v 'ating means for said clutch, mechanisms for actuating-each of said driving gears, a se' vice from said operating means after phe clutch is released, and means for actuatmg said selector to throw a particular driving 15 gear into mesh after said reset device is actuatei In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 19th day' of February, 1914.

' EUGENE O.

In presence of FERD. -W. HARRIS, FRED A. MANSFIELD 

